Putin: "Thank God Russia is not Iraq"

Putin: "Thank God Russia is not Iraq"

Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the U.S.-led war in Iraq on Thursday, saying that experience showed the need for resource-rich
countries like Russia to build up their armed forces to defend themselves.

"Thank God Russia is not Iraq," Putin said during a live televised national question-and-answer session. "It is strong enough to protect its interests
within the national territory and, by the way, in other regions of the world."

I believe Putin is right. If it wasnt for the strong Russian defense, wouldnt the US try to attack it? Any country that is rich on natural resources
should worry about the US. Anyone can be made to look like a terrorist. In fact, during the cold war, the Russians were the enemies in all American
movies. Now its the middle east who is the bad guys. Coincidence? No. Part of opinion control.

What if the US said "Russia have weapons of mass destruction and can launch them within 45 minutes."? Only difference between Russia and Iraq is
probably that it would be true for Russia...

So why arent the US attacking Russia? Or China, which have a history of torture and being against democracy?

Simple. Because they have nuclear weapons. So allowing some countries to have nuclear weapons is actually good for the power balance. Its good for
peace. Note that Iran does NOT seek to have nuclear weapons though, just nuclear power so they arent so dependent on oil for energy. Oil is running
out so it makes perfect sense.

Russia (USSR) built up their army to maintain their occupation over half of Europe, and to help the Communists in China, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba not to
mention their INVASION of Afghanistan.

If Russia didn't have a large army the US would have invaded, probably straight after WW2, kicked out the communists and replaced them with a
democratic government. If that happened eastern Europe would not have fallen to communism, neither would have China, N.Korea, Vietnam and a few
others. America then would not have had to dominate the middle-east and also not have to go after rogue states like N.Korea or Iran. The United
Nations would have been able to police the world.

So, it's the fact that Russia had a large army that's actually caused most of the problems in the world. Of course, Israel would still be a
problem.

Originally posted by Copernicus
I believe Putin is right. If it wasnt for the strong Russian defense, wouldnt the US try to attack it?

Ha! that is hilarious. Russia's military equipment is obsolete and at best a cardboard cutout. at its strongest the Russian military had technology
that was 20 years old and lacking in spare parts. The country is struggling to feed itself and this idiot putin is just posing. deep inside, all
Russians know that their military is a fake storefront. they need the world to think they are strong so the US wont invade them, please, if we were
going to invade them we would have done it when they were on their knees after Regan got done with them. they are still a divided nation.

here, check this out. it was done by the Swedish Ministry of Defense and it states that Russia is 10 years away (as of 2005) from being any threat as
a superpower...IF it can keep its government together. not only that but Russia has its own "Iraq" mess over in Chechnya, where it has been fighting
for years.

CNN had an article with the same quote, but added something very interesting...

"One can wipe off a political map some tyrannical regime ... but it's absolutely pointless to fight with a people," he said. "Russia, thank God,
isn't Iraq. It has enough strength and power to defend itself and its interests, both on its territory and in other parts of the world."

Was this another jab at the US by Putin saying we wiped a regime off the map...I think so. Depending on which translation you believe of Ahmadinejad
(did he say wipe the country/people of Israel off the map OR wipe the regime of Israel off the map), Putin is saying that the US is basing one of its
reasons for bombing Iran on something that it just did!

"It is strong enough to protect its interests within the national territory and, by the way, in other regions of the world."

I could be off, but I believe he is referring to Iran. If we take over Iran, not only can we put military in the Caspian Sea, which Russia borders,
but we can tap it's natural resources, which it has a lot of.

Russia is flipping out about missile defense systems in Poland and Czech Republic, both of which aren't even on their border. Do you think they'd
really settle for us putting military in the Caspian Sea after an Iranian takeover? No way in hell will that happen.

People think Russia is weak post Cold War, but they're actually not. Are we stronger? Yeah, probably. We probably have better technology. But our
strength, our confidence, it's depleting. We're in a downward spiral in our history.

One thing Russia has the ability to do is mass produce military equipment quite quickly. If China allies with them, which they will, along with Iran
and North Korea - we're looking about close to a 25 million man army all combined, at the very least.

We would have to win that battle with Navy power. We are, hands down, the best Navy in the world. If we tried to go in with Air Force or made the
suicidal decision of going in on the ground, we'd lose.

So I think he was referring to Iran when he said Russia's interests "in other regions". I think they are strong enough to defend their interests,
as Putin said. But in any event, such a war would devastate the world, no question about it.

Originally posted by Cthulwho
If that happened eastern Europe would not have fallen to communism, neither would have China, N.Korea, Vietnam and a few others. America then would
not have had to dominate the middle-east and also not have to go after rogue states like N.Korea or Iran. The United Nations would have been able to
police the world.

So, it's the fact that Russia had a large army that's actually caused most of the problems in the world. Of course, Israel would still be a
problem.

I don't even know how to address this, because I'm not sure in what context you're saying it. I'm not sure if you're simply stating history and
the possible outcomes, or if you're saying that you're a little upset and that Russia is causing problems.

Yes, Russia has caused problems, but if it is as clear cut as you made it out to be with the fall of communism, and they had fallen, we'd be in world
government right now.

USA messed up hard on Iraq, they screwed up the country becuase they were trying to give the people democracy....or was it the WMD....or was it Al
Qaeda???? This is so confusing, why was USA in Iraq again? Oh yeah oil.
I do not blame the Asia region for hating the US, the US messed a perfectly good nation...2 nations, and now it will mess their third one soon. US is
on a hot streak, maybe they can mess the whole world up soon.

The worst thing that the US did was dismantling the Iraqi army! With that intact they would have been able to secure the borders. No wonder the
Iranians are flooding arms and funds to sectarian fighters, a busy US makes the Iranians much more comfortable (they've stated time and time again
that the US won't attack because of it's commitments in Iraq). Also it helps win the Iranians public opinion..

Originally posted by icybreeze
Russia's military equipment is obsolete and at best a cardboard cutout.

Based on what? Personal opinion? Because if you look at their military equipment, they're keeping up with technology.

Originally posted by icybreeze
at its strongest the Russian military had technology that was 20 years old and lacking in spare parts.

Evidence?

Originally posted by icybreeze
The country is struggling to feed itself

That's interesting, because I believe Russia's economy is on the rise, and also, to boost it more, they're a major regional power, as well as a
superpower in natural energy resources. All of that spells a great economy for Russia, if not now, in the near future.

Originally posted by icybreeze
deep inside, all Russians know that their military is a fake storefront.

Where's your evidence of this?

Originally posted by icybreeze
they need the world to think they are strong so the US wont invade them,

Even if this is true, it is a military tactic, my friend. Read "The Art of War".

Originally posted by icybreeze
they are still a divided nation.

Evidence?

Russians are quite nationalistic, and if you want to unite them real damn quick, have a country like us invade.

Originally posted by icybreeze
here, check this out. it was done by the Swedish Ministry of Defense and it states that Russia is 10 years away (as of 2005) from being any threat as
a superpower...IF it can keep its government together.

We went in for power and oil. Bible prophecy may have had a little to do with it too.

But the reason we're struggling is because we want to. The military isn't in on it, but our leaders, with the strategy, are making it tougher.

The longer we're there, the longer we have control over the oil. The longer we struggle, the more military bases and clean up has to be done, which
means their boys like Halliburton can come get no bid contracts to clean up. The longer we're there, the more military equipment we need, which means
their boys in the defense contractors get to get paid to make more military equipment.

It's a manufactured threat on the ground in Iraq. It's the boogeyman. I have no doubt that a lot of the bombings have come from these "private
contractors" like Blackwater.

"Our dear Imam said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement. We cannot compromise over the issue of
Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front. This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime
has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying
regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful
stain from the Islamic world"

I don't support Iran, Syria, or any of them. I don't support their religious extremes. But I don't support Israel either.

So if the Zionist regime fell, I wouldn't care. I'd be glad. Personally, they deserve what ever is coming to them. I think they've screwed with
their neighbors for far too long, and it is, and should, catch up with them.

So regardless of what he said or didn't say, wiping the Zionist regime off the map is what should happen.

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